Human extinction: ‘Self-perpetuating’ nature of Global climate change

By Thadeus Obadha Odenyo

https://healthfirst.brick.site/

Over the past decade, our planet has recorded unearthly climatic patterns with extreme health and environmental consequences. In July 2023, it was extreme temperature regimes in the US, Europe and Asia. Now it is August 2023, and there are extreme wet weather patterns with extreme and destructive flooding in China, Europe, and hurricanes in the US.

The self-perpetuating effects of inclement weather are evident everywhere in the areas that have been affected thus far. The patterns of destruction are punctuated with loss of human life. 

The footprints of the destructive force are evident in the extent of destruction and the helplessness of the citizens as they call for aid and rescue. Extreme heat undermines plant life and drives animals to the brink of survival.

 In terms of plant life, the seeds and propagation materials that survive are then washed away into the streams, the oceans and the lakes during flooding. As temperatures remain high year after year, the plants will gain less biomass and produce less flowers as many plant pests compete for the very few food plant materials that are available. 

Gradually, we are losing large chunks of biodiversity sanctuaries and enclaves. In terms of food production, as farmers struggle with the farms, there is less food and more distress associated with food shortage. Directly, the floods will destroy croplands and increase food shortage on the planet. Indirectly, the cost of food production is likely to go up as more land becomes less productive. 

Land productivity, may decline as a result of excessive inundation or excessive heat and drought. For the High-income countries there may be some technological capacity to tackle the extreme outcomes of weather, however this may not be that same for the Low-Income Countries. At the same time the ‘cocktail effect’ of afflictions in the low-income countries increase the magnitude and nature of risk.

As the crisis continues to unfold, there is more pressure to survive, as people then turn to the forests and bushes for food. The hungry will gnaw away forest cover and increase hunting pressure on wildlife. Many questions come to mind, but more importantly;

What will happen once the forest is depleted?

What will happen to the wildlife once their populations are reduced to unsustainable levels.

Who is responsible?

What can we do?

Where do we start?

  As we struggle to answer the pertinent questions, we have to examine the gist of our topic today, the impacts of global climate change that are evident have been recorded and reported. However, there are also invisible impacts of climate change that nations of the world must address. 

The interactions of the drivers of climate change have been characterized and the scientists have published in many scientific journals.  What is not clear is how the invisible climate change factors and outcomes are aggravating the human dilemma. For instance, the destruction of our planet increases human interaction with wildlife and many diseases as well as harmful agents. 

We all know that during a weather crisis there is a lot of disruption of order and healthy routines. What happens to the disease reservoirs and vectors when they find themselves in human habitations. Cases of snake bites and animal attack related injuries have been reported during weather related crises. Similarly, disease outbreaks have been reported during such extreme weather experiences. It may not be obvious, but we can all agree that the downstream implications of exposure and interaction with wild lifeforms may cause acute and, in some cases, chronic diseases.

 If nothing is done and if nothing can be done then we should prepare for human extinction. This is why, in 2020, humanity experienced an existential threat, COVID 19. Scientists worked round the clock to contain the virus. However, many lives were lost and no race or tribe was spared. As climate change continues to evolve and now more rapidly, we may not accurately predict the future of the planet in terms of novel diseases. Additionally, the currently known disease agents may be mutating and acquiring more virulence.

 This generation may have an opportunity to change how things will be in future. But, what choice have we made so far? The answer is everywhere and is evident in the weather outcomes that we are seeing as residents of this planet. We can, and we should do better, this window of opportunity is rapidly subliming, let us seize the moment, it is now.